Recipe: Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins

I love muffins.

I think that’s because muffins are similar to cupcakes–they look alike and share that tender cake-like quality. Though muffins and cupcakes dress in the same outfit, muffins make the perfect breakfast by being less sweet, un-frosted, and they should beg for a pat of butter or smear of jam.

These muffins are a new favorite, I baked up a batch this week AND last. I love to make muffins on a Sunday so we have an easy and quick breakfast bite throughout the week. This recipe contains yogurt and olive oil–making for a moist and tender crumb. There are dried sour cherries and bits of chocolate in there for a little decadence in the morning, as well as a little (white) whole wheat and wheat germ–you know, for a bit of health and science. My favorite thing about this recipe is probably the quantity, it makes 8 perfectly sized muffins–just enough so we can have them for more than one breakfast, but not so many they don’t turn stale and we don’t get bored.

Treat yo’self to a muffin in the morning. It’s just breakfast dressed up as a cupcake, after all.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Adapted from Taste of Home

I used White Whole Wheat flour from King Arthur and White Lily Flour. White Lily is a bit softer than regular all-purpose…I’d liken it to cake flour. You can use cake flour or regular all-purpose–either way, use a light touch when mixing to ensure a tender muffin.

3/4 cup cake or all-purpose flour

6 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup white whole wheat

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1/2 cup plain yogurt

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

scant 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup dried sour cherries

Preheat oven to 350F and line 8 cups of a standard muffin tin with paper liners.

In a medium bowl whisk together flours, wheat germ, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large measuring cup whisk together egg, yogurt, oil, milk, and extracts.

Toss chips and cherries in the flour mixture to coat. Create a well and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir/fold into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Divide batter among the 8 muffins cups. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Sprinkle hot muffins with additional chopped chocolate chips if desired. Cool on wire racks, can be eaten warm or cooled completely and stored in an airtight container for 4 days.